1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming device which heat-transfers images, which are exposed on a photosensitive material, onto image receiving materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
As illustrated in FIG. 15, in a conventional heat-transfer-type image forming device, a photosensitive material 120, which is wound in roll form and loaded in a magazine for a photosensitive material, is cut into sheet-shaped photosensitive materials 120A. A single image frame M is exposed onto the photosensitive material 120A at an exposure device 122. In a solution application process, a solvent is applied onto the surface of the photosensitive material 120A, and the photosensitive material 120A is then sent to a heat transfer process.
Further, an image receiving material 124, which is wound in roll form and loaded in a magazine for an image receiving material, is cut into sheet-shaped image receiving materials 124A. The image receiving material 124A is superposed with the photosensitive material 120A at a laminating roller 126, and the laminated materials are trained about a heat drum 128 such that the image frame M of the photosensitive material 120A is heat-transferred to the image receiving material 124A.
Namely, in the conventional image forming device, there is a one-to-one relationship between the one magazine for a photosensitive material and the one magazine for an image receiving material. As a result, each time the print size changes, the operator must change the magazine. The system cannot be fully automated, and there are limits to the efficiency of printing processing.
Even if the measure is taken of replacing the magazine for an image receiving material, with respect to a single magazine for a photosensitive material, each time the print size changes, there is a great loss of photosensitive material if the prints are small size. This loss becomes marked when there are plural prints of the same image frame.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming device in which printing processing is automated, the printing processing efficiency is improved, and the loss of photosensitive material is kept to a minimum.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of image frames are exposed onto a photosensitive material at an exposure section, and thereafter, a solvent is applied to the photosensitive material. The photosensitive material is then superposed with (a corresponding number of pieces of) an image receiving material, and the plurality of image frames of the photosensitive material are heat transferred all at once onto the image receiving material.
In this way, merely by setting one photosensitive material, various types of prints are possible. Because a plurality of image frames are heat transferred all at once onto the image receiving material, the printing processing efficiency can be improved.
In a second aspect of the present invention, the image receiving materials are shaped to sizes corresponding to the respective image frames, and are superposed substantially simultaneously with the respective image frames. As a result, prints of different sizes can be heat transferred and discharged all at once, without having to cut the image receiving materials later.
In a third aspect of the present invention, the image forming device includes a plurality of magazines which house image receiving materials, and a selecting section which selects a magazine in accordance with the sizes and the exposure pattern of the image frames recorded on the photosensitive material.
In this way, the selecting means automatically selects a magazine in accordance with the sizes and the exposure pattern of the image frames exposed on the photosensitive material. Automatic printing is thereby made possible, and the printing processing efficiency is improved.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of image receiving materials are housed in a single magazine. As a result, space is not required for providing plural magazines, and the device can be made compact.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the image receiving materials fed out from the magazine are distributed in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction. In this way, when the plurality of image frames are exposed in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, it is not necessary to dispose exactly the same number of magazines as image frame rows in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, and the magazine can be moved along the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the image receiving materials such that the required image receiving material (pieces) can be supplied.
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the image receiving material is the same size as the photosensitive materials. After heat transfer, the image receiving material is cut along frames of the image frames. In this structure, the image receiving material must be cut after heat transfer. However, if there is one magazine housing an image receiving material of the same width as the width of the photosensitive material, any type of exposure pattern and any image frame sizes can be handled.
In a seventh aspect of the present invention, the exposure pattern of the image frames at the exposure section is automatically set such that the loss of photosensitive material is kept to a minimum, on the basis of order information such as a designation of an image frame, a designation of a number of prints, a designation of a print size, or the like.
In this structure, the photosensitive material can be used efficiently such that the loss of photosensitive material can be kept to a minimum, i.e., the spaces between the image frames can be kept as small as possible. Further, because the number of image frames which can be heat transferred at one time can be increased, the speed of finishing the prints can be increased.
In an eighth aspect of the present invention, the exposure pattern of the image frames is automatically set in the order in which the image frame information was inputted. In this way, the exposure pattern of the image frames is determined in accordance with the order in which the image frames were photographed, and the prints are discharged from the device in the order of photographing.
In a ninth aspect of the present invention, the exposure pattern of the image frames is automatically set such that the trailing end portions of the image receiving material pieces onto which the image frames have been heat transferred are disposed from a conveying direction downstream side to a conveying direction upstream side in an order in which image frame information was inputted. As a result, the image receiving material pieces drop down from the discharge roller disposed at the discharge opening of the device, in the order in which the image frames were photographed. In this way, even if a special return mechanism or the like is not provided, the prints can be discharged from the device in the order in which they were photographed.
In a tenth aspect of the present invention, a tray, which is disposed in a direction orthogonal to the discharging direction, is provided at the image receiving material discharge opening. By providing such a return mechanism, there is no need to longitudinally shift the positions of the trailing end portions of the image receiving material pieces as in the ninth aspect. Even if the trailing end portions of the image receiving material pieces are disposed in one transverse line, the prints can be discharged from the device in the order of photographing.
In an eleventh aspect of the present invention, at least one order information, such as a designation of an image frame, a designation of a number of prints, a designation of a print size or the like, can be inputted from the information medium on which the order information is recorded together with image information.
Namely, by merely loading the information medium into the image forming device, printing of, for example, the designated number of prints can be carried out automatically without operating the operation panel of the image forming device.